What to expect… during a monthly meeting of the Carolina BrewMasters
Our monthly meetings, which occur on the first Wednesday of each month at Brewers at 4001 Yancey (via map), attract a variety of homebrewers. From “I’ve never brewed before, but I’m interested” to “I’ve been brewing for 20+ years” – the Carolina BrewMasters welcome all to our monthly meetings. Our meetings generally have three parts: business meeting, educational session, and homebrew sharing (homebrew only). Meetings are free to attend.
When you arrive, plan to grab a drink and food at the bar, before taking a seat in the large private event space around 6:15pm, at Brewers at 4001 Yancey. Wednesdays are $5 CLT Brewed pints and $1 wings (minimum 5) nights! We also have a server during the meeting if you arrive later and need some sustenance.
Once the meeting gets started, we have a business portion where we share information about local competitions, upcoming social events, and more. We invite new visitors to introduce themselves and share a little about their interest in brewing, but this is completely optional. We also ask members to share the style(s) of beer they’ve recently brewed or brought to the meeting so encourage conversation during the sharing portion.
We finish our business portion of the meetings with education sessions, sometimes with guest speakers, to share various topics of information about beer and brewing with our members and guests.
The final part of the meeting involves members and guests (ages 21 and up) sharing and tasting homebrews and discussing topics of interest informally. Many longtime members are certified beer judges and are happy to provide feedback one on one about homebrewed beers, ciders, meads, etc. However you don’t have to bring beer to share, and are welcome to sample homebrews either wag. Bring your tasting glass (4-6 oz cup) to try samples from other homebrewers; otherwise we wil have a clean extra for you to use.
We hope to see you at an upcoming meeting. If you have any further questions feel free to reach out to president@carolinabrewmasters.com
What to expect… during a weekend Brew Session
Once a month (usually Saturday or Sunday) one of our member opens up their home brewing spaces to members/guests and hosts a brew session. During these sessions, you will get a sneak peek into this member’s brewing process. Hosts will usually announce a style and mash-in time (the start of the brewing process after everything is set up and water is to temperature), as well as a lunch menu and a request for sides. While the host brews their beer, visitors can help out or just watch and ask questions to learn more.
During these brew sessions, guests bring homebrews and CBM brings some commercial beers matching the style the host is brewing to share with the group. A light lunch and snack will be served, and visitors are asked to bring food or an appetizer/desert to share potluck-style. Drinks are provided.
Visitors are invited to stay for the duration of the brewing process, and sometimes the host or a guest will provide a brief educational demonstration during the brew session. Attendance isn’t required for the entire day, though.
Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather as most of the brew sessions are outside or in an open garage.
We hope to see you at an upcoming brew session. If you have any further questions feel free to reach out to membership@carolinabrewmasters.com.
